Thanks to Rorate for posting this information about the Crash Courses in Traditional Catholic Philosophy offered by the International Society of Scholastics. I just signed up for the March 20 (2010) session entitled "The Natural Superiority of Traditional Worship". Payment can be done online ($15 per online session, which runs about 3 hours starting 12NN EST). Better sign up early -- I have a feeling that this particular session will easily be filled up!
The professors of the International Society of Scholastics are pleased to present Saturday morning online Crash Courses in traditional Catholic philosophy—part of our Sapientis Online Education program. These are 3-hour seminars on some of the most important scientific, ethical, and political questions of the day—all examined from the common sense perspective of Thomas Aquinas and the Thomistic tradition—including a philosophic defense of the Traditional Latin Mass.
We’re hoping to give you the chance to inherit the intellectual patrimony of the Church; and the foundation needed to defend her ethical, political, scientific principles by reason alone. Take a look at the topics:
January 16th, 2010 - What is the State and Why Should I Care? On the origin and nature of civil society
January 23rd, 2010 - Democracy or Tyranny? The legitimate and illegitimate forms of government
January 30th, 2010 - How Far Can the Government Go? On the limits of civil authority
February 6th, 2010 - Conservatives are Liberals? Classical liberalism and the corruption of the modern state
February 13th, 2010 - Is Capitalism evil?
February 20th, 2010 - What is Socialism?
February 27th, 2010 - What is the Natural Law and How Do I Defend It?
March 6th, 2010 - What is Education? A guide for homeschool parents
March 13th, 2010 - What is a Just War? And What Can’t You Do in One?
March 20th, 2010 - The Natural Superiority of Traditional Worship
March 27th, 2010 - Thumbscrews and Guillotines: on the morality of torture and the death penalty
April 17th, 2010 - Is Brain Death Really Death?
April 24th, 2010 - Is There Such a Thing as a ‘Right to Privacy’?
May 8th, 2010 - What is Culture and How Does I Gets Me Some?
May 15th, 2010 – Why Homosexual Marriage is a Contradiction in Terms
May 22nd, 2010 - The Moral and Immoral Roles of Insurance Companies
June 5th, 2010 - Is Rebellion Ever Justified?
June 12th, 2010 - Homeschooling: The rights of parents in regard to education
June 19th, 2010 - The Devil Made Me Do it: on cooperation in evil
June 26th, 2010 - Fundamental Issues in Bioethics
Fuller descriptions can be found on our website www.societyofscholastics.org/sapientis Just click on ‘Crash Course.’ New topics with special guest lecturers will be added periodically throughout the spring semester.
Here's the description for the March 20 (2010) session: The Natural Superiority of Traditional Worship -- In this Crash Course we examine the natural religious requirement of worship caused by man’s very rational nature (given to him by God), and what form of worship is more conducive to this nature; of particular interest are the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Catholic Mass, often called, respectively, the Novus Ordo and the Traditional Latin Mass. We look at the natural obligation of religion founded in man’s essence, along with its expression, which is worship. We’ll examine the connection between the internal and external acts of worship, and which manner of acts is better suited to fulfill the purpose of worship demanded of man. We will then ask whether or not one approach to worship cooperates more with these requirements of man’s nature.
All Crash Courses are hosted live, online using our state-of-the-art video conferencing software, giving you the chance to interact with the professor and other students by voice chat and/or instant text messaging. Sapientis supports PCs, Macs, and smartphones like Blackberries and iPhones—so you can logon from almost anywhere, while waiting at the airport or sipping cappuccino at the local coffee shop.
Online seating is limited, so sign up early!
Why Thomistic philosophy? Here’s an argument from authority:
“And so we have desired that all who are engaged in the task of teaching philosophy and sacred theology be warned that they cannot depart from Aquinas in the slightest degree, especially in metaphysics, without great harm resulting therefrom...and if the doctrine of any other writer or saint was ever approved by Ourselves or Our predecessors with singular praise and the invitation or command to spread and to defend it were added to that commendation, it must be clearly understood that that doctrine is approved to the extent that it agreed with the principles of Aquinas or at least in no way contradicted them.” (Pope St. Pius X)
I'll be interested to hear how this course proceeds. It seems to me that such a conversation cannot take place without slipping in Revelation - which is outside of the bounds of "pure" philosophical investigation. Worship, yes, is ordained by nature; but the mode seems to be of a Revealed nature.
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